> [[maxims]] Speed is the greatest weapon you have in your arsenal. It fights entropy and increases your rate of learning. It builds momentum and draws others to you. A common argument against speed: *Going fast = doing a bad job.* Examples of why this is a dumb argument: - [[How was the Empire State Building built in 405 days?]] - [[How did NASA go from not existing to putting man on the moon in 11 years?]], led by James Webb & George Mueller - The Pentagon was built in just 16 months during [[WWII]] - The Alaska Highway (1,700 miles) was built in just 8 months in 1942 (that's 7 miles per day) - The code breaking computer Colossus was designed and built by Britain in just 11 months during [[WWII]], led by Tommy Flowers - The Golden Gate Bridge was completed ahead of schedule and under budget in just 4 years, led by Joseph B. Strauss - America industrializing its manufacturing capabilities for [[WWII]], led by William Knudsen and Henry Kaiser - See Patrick Collison's "[fast](https://patrickcollison.com/fast)" section of his website for more examples Seeing a common thread here? Existential national threat is *so far* the greatest motivator we as a species seem to know of. Another big driver of these projects seems often be a single-leader with indomitable will pushing the project, and people building it, forward.